WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, bipartisan legislation, led by U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Roger Marshall (R-KS), to speed up the approval process for sunscreen products was recently signed into law. The legislation requires the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to modernize its process for reviewing and approving new sunscreens, helping Americans access sun protection products that have been safely used in other countries for years.
“For too long, outdated regulations have prevented Americans from accessing the same safe and effective sunscreen products available in other countries,” said Senator Hassan. “Now, the FDA will finally update its approval process so that American manufacturers can produce modern, user-friendly sunscreens and American families can benefit from the sun protection options that have been safely used around the world for years. I’m glad that we were able to work across the aisle to get this done.”
“When it comes to something as simple and essential as having access to the safest, most effective sunscreens, there is no reason America should be lagging,” said Senator Marshall. “The SAFE Sunscreen Standards Act fixes that by modernizing FDA reviews and opening the door to proven ingredients already used abroad. It’s a commonsense win that puts American consumers first.”
The FDA has not approved a new sunscreen active ingredient since 1999, while other countries, such as France and South Korea, have better sunscreen products on the market that often use newer, more effective UV filters. The SAFE Sunscreen Standards Act requires the FDA to review and improve its outdated approval process, helping bring more modern sunscreen products to the market. Under this law, FDA must update its guidance to manufacturers within the next year.
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